CISPLATIN TREATMENT IN CANCER-PATIENTS WITH HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA DUE TOSECONDARY LIVER INVOLVEMENT

Twenty-five cancer patients with hyperbilirubinemia due to secondary l iver involvement were treated with cisplatin at a dose of 40 mg/m2 wee kly. One cycle of therapy consisted of 8 weekly treatments. According to WHO criteria 12 out of 25 patients achieved a partial response with normalization of bilirubin levels. Five patients had stable disease w ith normal serum bilirubin levels, while two patients in stable diseas e showed persistence of hyperbilirubinemia. Three patients presented p rogressive disease with a concomitant worsening of bilirubinemia. Thre e further patients were considered as non responders because they show ed an increase of bilirubin levels after 3, 4, 4 weeks of treatment re spectively. Median survival was 11 months in the eight responder patie nts, previously untreated, and 9 months in pretreated patients present ing a response. In unresponsive patients median survival was only 1 mo nth. Toxicity was mild. 3 patients experienced nausea and grade III vo miting. Hematological toxicity was negligible: only two patients exper ienced grade II anemia. In conclusion, cisplatin therapy seems to be e ffective and safe in hyperbilirubinemic cancer patients.